~ Related Pictures ~

Neo Chee Keong (b. 1960, Singapore–), popularly known as Jack Neo, is an actor, emcee and filmmaker.1 He was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 2005 for his achievements in filmmaking. One of Neo’s early films, Money No Enough (1998), is one of Singapore’s highest grossing local films, receiving S$5.8 million in box-office takings.2Early lifeNeo is the oldest of four children in his family. His father was a fishmonger and his mother worked at a coffee shop selling bread and beverages.3 From a young age, Neo discovered that he enjoyed entertaining his classmates with his comedy sketches, and began performing regularly on stage in school.4 After completing his education at Tanjong Katong Secondary School, Neo joined the army because his grades did not qualify him for tertiary education. He continued pursuing his interest in stage performance by taking on hosting and acting jobs in television programmes and ‘live’ shows during his free time.5

Neo also had a talent for drawing cartoons, which he sent to Pioneer magazine (published by the Ministry of Defence). When the ministry contacted him for an interview, his interviewers found Neo, with his acting and hosting experience, to be a suitable candidate for a new job opening – as drama director of the Singapore Armed Forces’ Music and Drama Company.6

During his stint of six to seven years at the Music and Dance Company, Neo gained hands-on experience and practice in scriptwriting and acting, as the unit had to perform almost every night. Based on his interactions with and observations of the spectators, Neo gradually learned about the types of humour that appealed to the local audience.7

Television careerA few years after leaving the army, Neo hosted and acted on Comedy Night, the longest running Chinese-language comedy series in Singapore. The television series screened every Monday night and had a successful run from 1990 to 2000.8

Comedy Night featured Neo’s most memorable comic characters, including Liang Po Po, an eccentric grandmother full of mischief and strange antics.9 The film, Liang Po Po: The Movie(1999), rode the crest of this character’s popularity.10 Another of Neo’s comic characters, Liang Xi Mei, also appealed to the masses because her mannerisms exemplified the stereotypical behaviour of the middle-aged housewife living in the Housing and Development Board (HDB) heartland. After Comedy Night, Neo worked on numerous other Singaporean television programmes, including his first English-language production, Happily Ever After, which debuted on 1 March 2009.11 In addition, Neo produced the 13-episode Malaysian variety show, Project Laugh, in April 2009.12

Filmmaking careerNeo’s mass appeal spilled over to his films as he employed a similar formula of low-brow comedy and humour in a distinctly Singaporean context.13

Neo’s filmmaking career, however, has not been without controversy. Although generally profitable in terms of box office sales, Neo’s films often receive negative reviews from critics who regard them as didactic, low-brow comedies.14 His films have also been criticised as lacking in sophistication in terms of cinematic technique, as he frequently employs slapstick and situational-comedy styles that are more suited to the narrative structures of short comedy skits on television than full-length feature films.15

When Neo was awarded the Cultural Medallion for his filmmaking achievements in 2005, it sparked a media debate about whether he deserved such an award.16 Neo’s detractors felt that his films lacked artistic merit, while his supporters admired his acute observations of Singapore society, arguing that his achievements should not be overlooked simply because of the mass appeal of his films.17

Awards2002: International Management Action Award (IMAA), for managerial achievements in the filming of I Not Stupid (2002).182003: The CIFEJ prize for Homerun, at the 14th Cairo International Film Festival19 / Best New Performer award for Homerun (awarded to actress Megan Zheng), at the Taiwan 40th Golden Horse Award20 / The Grand Prix Golden Swan prize for Homerun, at the 20th Moscow International Film Festival for Children & Youth.212004: Golden Butterfly prize for Best Direction (Homerun), at the Asian Competition of the Isfahan International Children’s Film Festival in Iran22 / Public Service Medal at the Singapore National Day Awards 2004, for achievements in filmmaking.232005: People’s Choice Award for Homerun, at the Montreal International Children’s Film Festival24 / The Singapore Cultural Medallion, for achievements in filmmaking.25

The information in this article is valid as at 2016 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.